Robert Keogh, 27, pleaded guilty to seizing his victim by the throat, pushing her against a wall and hitting her on the head earlier this year.

He also spat on her and caused her to fall on broken glass, for which she required stitches.

Last week Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard the pair had been in a relationship and that the woman met Keogh at his former home in Merkins Avenue, Bellsmyre, at 7am on January 14.

Jeanette McLean, fiscal depute, told the court that Keogh quickly became aggressive — then launched a violent attack.

Ms McLean said: “They began to wrestle for the phone at which point the accused bit the witness’ right index finger, causing it to bleed. The accused then pushed the witness to the ground and she began to cry.

“The accused said ‘Don’t cry’ and gave the witness a tissue to wipe the blood. At this point the accused threw the phone on the floor and the witness retrieved it.” The woman got up to leave but Keogh pushed her on to the sofa. She then let Keogh look through her phone as she was operating it, however he lost the plot again when her Facebook application failed to open.

The fiscal depute added: “The accused took the phone from the witness and continued to go through the contents.

“He looked at messages which he took umbridge to and became abusive and spat in her face.

“Once again the witness tried to grab it and he pushed her back to the couch.” The victim grabbed Keogh in an effort to stop herself falling and he slapped her on the face.

After smashing her phone against the wall, attacked his girlfriend again.

The fiscal depute said: “The accused pushed her, causing her to fall on to her back. “The accused then put his face across her shoulder and chest, pinning her to the ground. The witness lashed out with her legs to try to free herself. She managed to stand up and made for the door however the accused seized her by the hood of her jumper and her hair, swinging her towards the spare bedroom.” It was heard the victim lost her temper and threw a glass against a wall, causing it to break.

Keogh then pushed the woman, causing her to fall and strike her head against a coffee table.

She landed on a piece of the broken glass, causing lacerations to her right thigh. The woman pleaded to go to hospital but Keogh refused, seizing her by the hair and dragging her into the bedroom.

The victim eventually made her way to Stobhill Hospital where she received stitches for the leg wound. She also had bruises on her face, arms, hands, legs and back.

Keogh was arrested two days later.

Defence lawyer Scott Adair said Keogh suspected his girlfriend was cheating on him and this led to the row.

He said his client, a first offender, accepted he faced a jail sentence and acknowledged the relationship was now over.

Sentencing Keogh to eight months in prison, Sheriff Simon Fraser said: “It is very unusual to send someone to jail for a first offence. The law requires that I do not send someone to jail unless there is no alternative.

“You subjected that lady to a sustained and prolonged attack.

“You kept her there for some hours, during which time you carried out a sustained assault. A community payback order would be wholly inappropriate.”